1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to data reproducing apparatuses, data reproducing methods, and storage media, and specifically to data reproducing apparatuses, data reproducing methods, and storage media for displaying moving image data and still image data.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various digital video cameras are available equipped with semiconductor memory cards and use recordable DVD disks as storage media. Digital video cameras also exist which are capable of recording and reproducing both moving image data and still image data.
Such digital video cameras have a recording mode for recording mainly image information, and a reproducing mode for reproducing recorded content.
Digital video cameras are in general provided with a single file reproducing mode for reproducing one set of image data from among the recorded image data. There also exist digital video cameras with an index display mode for reproducing a plurality of sets of image data stored on a storage medium, or thumbnail data thereof, and displaying them as a list. Note that thumbnails are sets of image data for display whose volume is smaller than that of the original images. For moving image data, a representative still image frame from each moving image recording data file is treated as the thumbnail.
Further, some digital video cameras use a concept known as “tabs” in index screens displaying lists of images in index display mode. FIG. 10 shows an example of image display using tabs. Reference number 1001 denotes a moving image tab and reference number 1002 denotes a still image tab. When a user operation selects the moving image tab 1001, the moving image data is extracted and displayed as a list. When the still image tab 1002 is selected, the still image data is extracted and displayed as a list. Thus, by associating a data format such as, for example, still images or moving images, to each tab, it is possible to distinctly display image data of differing formats on a single index screen. Aside from tabs, there exist other methods for handling image data of differing formats in the reproduction screen, such as methods using commands in a menu screen or operation of a mechanical switch on the digital video camera unit as a trigger.
Further, many types of technologies have been proposed pertaining to reproducing recorded data files in apparatuses capable of reproducing image data other than digital video cameras. For example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-032582 discloses a technology for displaying on a single screen information related to the various content displayed in an index screen.
However, with conventional technology, a user was required to select tabs, operate mechanical switches on the reproducing apparatus, and so on when changing the screen display from a reproduction screen for one specific type of image data to another reproduction screen. When switching reproduction screens using tabs, the user is required to move a selection cursor in the screen to a tab outside the display area for the image data, and perform a selection operation. Further, with selection using a mechanical switch, the user is required to operate a mechanical switch every time the user wishes to switch reproduction screens. Further, the user cannot know that other types of image data exist while one specific type of image data is being displayed.